


Are we not drawn onward, we few, drawn onward to new era?

by HigherMagic



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Twins, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Birth Control, Bottom Will Graham, Canon-Typical Violence, Delusions, Drugs, Emotional Manipulation, Extremely Dubious Consent, Family Secrets, Flashbacks, Hallucinations, Implied/Referenced Abortion, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Incest, Interrogation, M/M, Marijuana, Mind Manipulation, Mindfuck, Multiple Personalities, Murder, Murder Mystery, Non-Linear Narrative, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Sexual Abuse, Sibling Incest, Someone Help Will Graham, Twincest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-27
Updated: 2018-06-27
Packaged: 2019-05-29 08:37:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15069353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HigherMagic/pseuds/HigherMagic
Summary: Inside the interrogation room sits a man. An Omega. His demeanor is tense, shivering like he's withdrawing from a drug. His knuckles are bloodied and there's a mean-looking bruise spreading out over his jaw and left cheek, highlighting the shine of golden-ringed blue eyes. His hair is a wayward mess of dark curls, just barely obscuring the mark of a mating bite on his neck. It's relatively fresh, blister-raw and angry-looking on the side of his throat. Jack stifles a low growl, his irises flashing red. "I need to know which one of them is sitting in that room, Hannibal," he says darkly.





	Are we not drawn onward, we few, drawn onward to new era?

**Author's Note:**

> to say this fic is an absolute clusterfuck would be an understatement, born of too much Criminal Minds and a plot bunny that would absolutely not go away, and I've been tearing my hair out trying to make it work and you know what? it's done, I don't even care anymore.
> 
> PLEASE pay attention to the tags. Will and his twin engage in a coercive, incestuous relationship, and it is explicit. I didn't tag it with the Big Rape Warning because Will and Liam appear to be consenting to each other but it's extremely dubious, hence that lesser tag. None of the bad stuff is done between Hannibal and Will, but to say Will is traumatized would be annnnnnnn understatement. I will also say, in case anyone reads it and is disappointed, that there is no explicit Hannigram in this story.
> 
> There's also an extreme lack of proper judicial proceedings, but at this point it's a minor detail, I feel.
> 
> I seriously don't know what happened. I had so many ideas and it changed so many times, that I wanted to keep it open-ended, and kind of confusing, and it doesn't make sense. It just doesn't make sense, because Will is such an unreliable narrator right now. He's the worst.
> 
> If anyone has concerns please feel free to message me here, or on Tumblr (same name) and I'll do my best to explain in more detail what you're getting into. Otherwise, enter at your own risk. At least it's done, right?
> 
> And yes, the title is a palindrome because I'm an Extra Bitch.

**Now:**

"Hannibal, thank you for coming."

"It's no problem, Jack." Hannibal's fingers curl under the fold of his coat, he nods at Beverly as she closes the door behind the three of them. They're standing in the observation side of an interrogation room. Jack's eyes are very dark, his jaw clenched, his scent thick with anger and anxiety in equal measure. Hannibal presses his lips together and sets his eyes forward as he comes to a stop beside Jack.

Inside the interrogation room sits a man. An Omega. His demeanor is tense, shivering like he's withdrawing from a drug. His knuckles are bloodied and there's a mean-looking bruise spreading out over his jaw and left cheek, highlighting the shine of golden-ringed blue eyes. His hair is a wayward mess of dark curls, just barely obscuring the mark of a mating bite on his neck. It's relatively fresh, blister-raw and angry-looking on the side of his throat.

Hannibal tilts his head to one side. "What do we have here?"

"I don't know," Jack says darkly. He rubs a hand over his mouth.

Beverly is at Hannibal's other side, her arms folded across her chest, her jaw clenched and lips pursed. "We have a problem, Doctor Lecter," she says.

Hannibal raises an eyebrow.

"We need your help."

"Of course," Hannibal says mildly. "Anything I can assist the FBI with, I'm happy to do."

Jack stifles a low growl, his irises flashing red. "I need to know which one of them is sitting in that room, Hannibal," he says darkly.

"You don't know?" Hannibal asks, both brows rising.

Jack shakes his head. "Having the lab rush the results, but if it takes too long, he'll be in the wind by the time we know for sure."

"How long have you been holding him for?"

"We have less than twelve hours left until we have to charge him, or let him walk."

"We should bring in Alana. I believe one of them had a romantic relationship with her. He might give himself away, one way or the other."

"She refuses to see him," Beverly says quietly. Hannibal knows why.

He nods, and sighs. "I'll see what I can do."

 

 

**Then:**

Will's hands shake as he opens the bottle of aspirin, downing two pills dry. In the mirror, his reflection stares back at him, blurry and off-center like looking in a fun house mirror. He sets the bottle down and it rolls, falls off the edge of the counter and comes to a stop next to his foot.

He touches the bite on the side of his neck, wincing when the tender flesh pulses and warms. "You shouldn't have done that."

Outside the bathroom, from the direction of his bed, comes a laugh. Will clenches his teeth, closes his eyes and rolls his shoulders forward like the laugh is a physical touch. He hears the sound of a match being struck, a brief flicker of firelight illuminating his dark bedroom, and then the sharp scent of weed reaches his nose. He turns towards it, and goes to the room.

Liam is sprawled out like a haphazard starfish, his head propped up with every pillow, leaving none for Will. He grins at Will, smile off-kilter and showing his teeth, and raises the blunt to his lips, breathing deep.

Will whines when he lets out a plume of acrid-smelling smoke, lips wet and forming a tight 'O'. Liam sucks in another breath through his teeth to stop himself coughing. His eyes are a pretty gold, more gold than Will's ever are since Will uses suppressants and Liam doesn't bother, and he rolls his head to one side to meet Will's eyes.

Will shivers, and looks away. His eyes land on Liam's feet, and he bites his lower lip and touches his neck again.

Liam sighs, pulls in another deep lungful of smoke, lets it out. It curls around his head, gathers shape and then abruptly dissipates as Liam tilts his head up and blows through the cloud, making it spread out. "You wanna bite me back?" he asks.

Will flinches. "It's wrong," he whispers, lacking conviction.

Liam hums, eyes heavy-lidded. "Not an answer."

Will swallows, his neck hurts when he does it. He relents, finally, when Liam holds out the blunt in invitation. He kneels down on the bed, carefully avoiding the wet spot, and leans in to take it. Liam grins, pulls it back, and Will chases him, whining when he ends up much closer to Liam, almost on top of his lap, and Liam lets the blunt rest over the edge of the mattress and curls his free hand in Will's hair, drawing him close.

"Close your eyes," he murmurs. Will obeys, resting their foreheads together. He smells his own slick on Liam's breath and his lips part when Liam takes another hit, holds it, and then licks into Will's mouth. Will breathes in when Liam breathes out, taking the smoke into his lungs. He turns his head to exhale, his teeth already starting to feel numb. Weed has always hit him harder, since he doesn't partake as much.

Will opens his eyes when Liam's hand slides down to his neck, covers the ragged bite mark he left. He trembles, hands resting flat and wide on Liam's chest. They're perfectly matched – when Will was stabbed, years ago when he was still a beat cop, he came home from the hospital to see Liam stitching up his own wound, self-inflicted.

"Why?" he whispers, just as he did back then.

Liam smiles, a soft purr rumbling in his chest. Will sees blood on his teeth. "Because I love you," Liam murmurs, thumb brushing over Will's jaw. Will shivers when Liam kisses him again, more forcefully this time, the hand on his neck making sure he can't pull away. Will is just glad that his blood won't give Liam an Omega Voice – only foreign blood can do that. "It's you and me, baby, forever."

Will pulls back, breathing hard, and Liam laughs and takes another hit from the blunt. The cherry red of the end of it is mesmerizing, and Will leans in when Liam offers him his mouth again, taking the smoke into his lungs so that the riot of his thoughts calms and steadies.

"Tell me you love me too," Liam demands, growling against his mouth.

"I do," Will replies, gasping the words. He flinches when Liam snarls at him, lunges up and yanks Will by the neck so he has to roll onto the wet spot. Liam discards the blunt in an ash tray by their bed and flattens his hands on Will's wrists, forcing them above his head.

"Say it right," Liam says.

Will licks his lips, meets Liam's dark eyes, and nods. "I love you," he whispers. Liam's eyes soften, his mouth tilts lopsidedly in a smile that shows his teeth. Will's fingers curl, find Liam's, laces them together. He spreads his legs because he doesn't know how else to convince Liam of his love – this is the only way that really works.

Liam purrs, and leans down, licks over the bloody bite mark on Will's neck and slides his hands down, taking Will's with him. "We're the same," he purrs, kisses the words into Will's ear. "No one gets you like I do."

"I know," Will murmurs, for that much is true.

"I love you so much, Will," Liam growls. He wraps both their hands around Will's neck, tightens so that their thumbs sit at the hollow of Will's throat. Will gasps, his eyes wide when Liam rears back. His irises are bright with emotion, tears shining in the corners. "No one will ever love you like I can. Like I do."

"Just you and me," Will says, hoarsely, and nods.

Liam smiles. On the bedside table, Will's phone starts to vibrate. Liam's head snaps to one side and he blinks, upper lip curling back.

Then, he looks back at Will. "Duty calls," he says, smiling wide. He lets go of Will's neck and kisses him once more, hard and heavy enough that Will feels the mattress dip and creak in protest. It steals air from his lungs, makes his heart seize up and stutter. When Liam pulls back, Will wants to chase him. "Go on, baby."

"You do bad things when I leave you alone," Will murmurs, sitting up and reaching for his phone. He doesn't have a voicemail, so he knows the phone will keep ringing until Jack gives up, but Jack never gives up.

Liam laughs, and rolls to retrieve his blunt, lighting it with another match. "Don't forget your birth control," he murmurs, and Will flinches, touches his bitten neck, and rises from the bed, answering Jack's call.

 

 

**Now:**

Hannibal enters the interrogation room. The Omega at the table lifts his head when he enters, a flash of recognition passing behind his eyes. Which is, unfortunately, not a tell in and of itself. Hannibal has met both of the twins, even when he didn't realize it at the time.

He smiles. "Hello," he says.

The Omega tilts his head to one side, mouth twitching at the corners like he's fighting the urge to smile. "Hello, Doctor Lecter," he replies. Calm – detached. Like his brother's blood isn't on his hands and in his mouth. "They finally decided to call in the cavalry?"

"Is that how you see me?" Hannibal asks, setting his coat on the back of the second chair and taking his seat, his back to the one-way mirror. The Omega's eyes flash, and he tilts his head, his fingers curling around the cuffs at his wrists. They're bolted to the table, so he can't rise, or fight.

He clucks his tongue against his bruised cheek, and huffs through his nose. "They're running out of time," he says. "They want you to profile me, psychoanalyze me."

Hannibal nods. "Yes."

"They should have sent in Alana."

Hannibal tilts his head to one side, eyebrows raised. "I suggested as much," he says coolly. The Omega doesn't visibly react. "Why do you think so?"

"She's known Will a lot longer," the Omega replies. "She let Liam fuck her."

Hannibal blinks, taken aback despite himself at the coarse language, and the way it's phrased. Like it's Alana's fault for succumbing to Liam's seduction. He bristles internally at the implication, and wonders if that's by design, to get a reaction out of him. To poke at his pride. "But they sent you, instead," the Omega says with a final nod. "Because they think you can see me. That you can understand me."

"And you don't believe Doctor Bloom can?"

"She's blind." His upper lip curls back, showing teeth. He huffs, shakes his head like he wants to run his fingers through his hair but, because he's cuffed, he cannot. So he moves like an animal, ridding himself of water. "And she's scared."

Hannibal smiles. "She's wary of Liam," he replies. "Not of Will."

"Didn't stop her -." He stops, sucks in a breath through his teeth, and lets it out. His eyes meet Hannibal's, and hold. But they can't hold forever – Omegas are naturally predisposed to submit to an Alpha's gaze. His gold-blue eyes fall to Hannibal's hands, which are resting, folded, on the table.

"This is a novel situation," Hannibal says lightly. "If we cannot charge you with anything before the time is up, Jack is obligated to release you. Liam stands for multiple murders, but Will could arguably use self-defense in a court of law." The Omega's jaw clenches. "The fact that you will not confess, one way or another, speaks to your guilt."

"Do you have any siblings, Doctor Lecter?" the Omega asks, cutting and low.

Hannibal tilts his head to one side. "I had a sister," he replies. "I lost her when I was very young."

"Did you love her?"

"Of course I did."

The Omega blinks, shoulders sagging. "I love my brother," he says. Hannibal finds it interesting that he uses the present tense. "I love him so much. And I will always love him. We're the same." Hannibal hums, head cocked, and the Omega laughs. "It's all one big cosmic joke. Will-Liam, get it? Our parents weren't very imaginative."

Hannibal hums. "One might argue, then, that you are both equally dangerous." The Omega's eyes flash. "It's simply a case that one of you acted on murderous impulses. The other had more control. More restraint."

The Omega clenches his jaw, Will-like in how his shoulders roll forward, Liam-like in his smile. It shows his teeth.

Hannibal drums the sides of his hands against the table. "Why haven't you asked for a lawyer?"

"They need names," the Omega replies. "They'll need to know who I am, to defend me. Too many loose ends, Doctor Lecter."

Hannibal smiles. It seems to unsettle the Omega – his eyes dart up, meet Hannibal's, then fall away. He tilts his head to one side, showing the bite on his neck. Hannibal leans forward so his elbows are braced on the table. If the Omega wasn't cuffed, he'd be able to lunge. It looks like he still wants to try.

"Why did you kill your brother, if you loved him so much?"

The Omega's eyes brighten, shine with tears. His exhale is unsteady.

"Was it because of the affair with Alana?" Hannibal presses. The Omega dips his chin, clenches his jaw. His fingers curl enough to go white at the knuckles. "Did Liam's betrayal make Will so angry, he snapped?"

"Stop," he breathes.

"The murder was forgivable. The incest, the rape -."

"It wasn't like that."

"But as soon as Liam kissed her, touched her, let her touch him back -."

"Stop!" The Omega's hands jerk hard enough to move the whole table. He snarls at Hannibal, tears finally overflowing and running in two thin lines down his cheeks. His eyes are almost completely golden, overwhelmed with anger. "Just…stop," he growls, and clenches his eyes tightly shut, shaking his head once, sharply.

Hannibal regards him for a moment, and then stands. "Let me get you a glass of water," he says. The Omega nods, absently, and lowers his head to his hands so he can tug at his hair. He stinks of distress, of regret – but not anger. Not betrayal.

Hannibal leaves the room and finds Jack in the hallway. "That's enough, right?" he asks. "The way he reacted, it has to be Will."

Hannibal presses his lips together, and shakes his head. "I'm not certain yet, Jack," he replies honestly. "It could just as easily be a manifestation of guilt for sleeping with Alana, as anger over the event. I need more time."

Jack growls. "If it was admissible, I'd force a confession and be done with it."

Hannibal sighs. Using an Alpha or Omega Voice during interrogation is illegal after a high-profile case fell apart many years past, due to an Omega confessing to a crime that he didn't commit. Lazy wording, grooming, and too much stress had caused him to snap and confess. Only when he got to the witness stand did the truth come to light.

Especially given the nature of this case, Hannibal knows Jack must be supremely cautious. It is why, he imagines, he hasn't asked for a polygraph, or done anything else that would be anything less than concrete. Jack's faith in him is flattering.

Beverly appears with a glass of ice water and hands it to Hannibal. Hannibal smiles at her. "Thank you," he says with a nod. He puts his eyes on Jack. "I'll keep trying," he says, as reassuring as he can be.

Jack nods, rubbing a hand over his mouth. "We're running out of time, Doctor Lecter," he says. "See it done."

"I will."

 

 

**Many Years Ago:**

"Liam! Liam! Get out of there! Where's your brother?"

Will covers his ears, whimpering at the sound of big fists banging on the closet door. Liam has him shoved up against the back of the closet, the tails of coats at his back and across his shoulders, shoes stuffed and folded under his bare feet.

Another slam comes against the door. His mother is calling for them, his voice high-pitched and frantic. "Liam! Unlock this door!"

"Shh." Liam's hand pets through Will's hair. He nuzzles Will's cheek and he smells warm and nice, familiar, just like Will. Just like him. They're the same. "I'm not gonna let anything happen to you."

"He's mad at us," Will whispers, flinching when their mother bangs on the door again. His voice is getting hoarse from yelling. Will is glad he hasn't taken an Alpha as a mate – he's sure a bigger man, a stronger one, would bust down the door and rip them apart with ease.

"They won't take me from you," Liam growls. His hands flatten on Will's thighs, turn him, his forehead pushes at Will's cheek and he kisses Will's shoulder, breathing in deeply. "You're mine. I love you. You're mine."

"…Liam?" Will breathes, frowning when he feels Liam's hands spread out wide and warm on the insides of his thighs. He shivers, his fingers trembling when they curl in Liam's t-shirt. They're slender at this age, willowy and pretty, as many Omegas are.

"I'll take care of us," Liam whispers. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes." Will nods, closing his eyes when Liam nuzzles his cheek. He tugs on Liam's shirt, pulling them closer together. Liam has started to lay on him when they sleep, forgoing their separate beds once the lights turn off. Will feels safest with his brother's weight pinning him down, Liam's gentle breaths at his nape, his hands sitting snug and tight on Will's lower stomach so that his fingertips just brush under the edge of his pajama pants.

He flinches, abruptly, as one of Liam's hands slides up his thigh, flattens between his legs where the heat of the closet has made him damp with sweat. He jerks, thighs tightening to push him away, and Liam lets out a soft purr, smiling against Will's cheek.

"Shh," he whispers. "It's alright."

Will shivers, his eyes wide as Liam wraps his hand around the waistband of Will's pajamas, curls his fingers, presses his warm touch on Will's lower stomach, then lower until he touches Will's cock. He growls against Will's cheek, free hand sliding to his throat to keep him still.

"Liam, we -. You can't -." Will whimpers when Liam's fingers curl around his cock, warm and smooth. The touch sends a jolt of sensation up Will's spine, lights up his eyelids when he can't keep his eyes open. The sound of his mother pounding on the door, his frantic cries, it fades away to background noise, overwhelmed by the sound of Liam's ragged breathing and the beat of Will's blood in his ears.

He moans when Liam keeps touching him. He can smell Liam's slick, sweet like his own, and he turns his head and presses his cheek to Liam's, trembling as his hand slides down Will's cock, sinks lower to tease between his legs. Liam growls, crawling closer so his knees are under Will's thighs, forcing him to stay spread out and submissive. "Feels good, doesn't it?" Liam breathes, unsteady and warm.

Will nods. He bites his lower lip, trembling in Liam's hold. He gasps when Liam's fingers press against his slick hole, one finger sliding in. It's the first time anyone has touched him there, and the sensation is strange, but there's a clawing need in his stomach that is satisfied by it. He digs his nails into Liam's flanks, urging him closer.

Liam purrs against his neck, kissing the flush spreading out there from his cheeks, and hauls Will back from the wall of the closet, into the small space on the floor where there are no shoes or bags. He pins Will down and sinks two fingers into his body deeply, and Will howls.

"Liam! Open the door right now!"

Liam growls, lifts his eyes to snarl at the door. "He's mine!" he yells. His free hand leaves Will's neck, flattens over his mouth so Will can't speak. But Will is sure their mother can smell his slick – he's Omega too, after all.

Will claws at Liam's wrist, shame abruptly spearing him in place. This is different – Omegas are supposed to be with Alphas. They're only supposed to let their mates touch them like this. He whines, shoves Liam's hand away and scrambles backwards, pulling his pants up back around his hips. Liam's fingers are wet, and shining.

Will stands, frantically twisting the lock on the door, then the handle, and falls out of the closet into his mother's arms. Liam's snarl is loud and furious behind him.

"Will," their mother breathes, petting his hair. Will clenches his eyes tightly shut, buries his face in his mother's neck, tries not to pay attention to how badly his thighs are shaking and how, even now, every part of him is screaming to rejoin his brother and lock the door behind them. "It's okay, baby, you're okay."

"Let go of him," Liam demands. Their mother stands, and Will goes with him, cowering behind his legs when he sees the brilliant, golden rage in Liam's eyes.

Then, he sees the knife.

"Liam." Their mother is holding his hands out, placating, trying to remain calm. Will shrinks back, and Liam's eyes fall to him, flash, and he smiles. His off-kilter, predator smile. Like he's an Alpha ready to give chase. "Put the knife down. Let's talk about this."

"No," Liam snarls. "You're going to take me away from him. You're going to hurt us. I won't let you."

"For God's sake, he's your fucking _brother_!" their mother yells, pointing back in Will's direction. "What the Hell is wrong with you?"

"I love him!"

"You're sick!"

Liam goes very still. His upper lip twitches, and he sinks down into a low crouch. Ready to lunge.

"You might have brainwashed him," he says lowly, "but you're not going to trick him anymore. He's mine."

"Liam?" Will gasps, breathing hard. Liam is talking the same way he does when he prowls to Will's bed, when he covers Will's mouth and ruts his cock against Will through their clothes and tells him to be quiet. When he puts his hand on Will's cock and tells him he'll make it good.

Liam smiles. "Close your eyes, Will."

Will doesn't. It's the first time he's seen someone die. It won't be the last.

 

 

**Now:**

Hannibal returns to the Omega with the water and sets it down by his hands. The Omega blinks at it, and then huffs, fixing Hannibal with an amused look.

"Am I supposed to drink it like a dog?" he asks, jerking his wrists so his cuffs clink.

Hannibal smiles, and takes his seat. "Do you like dogs?"

"I have seven of them," comes the reply, with a shrug. "Guess so."

Hannibal nods. "Seven dogs," he says, slowly. "Seven bodies, not including your brother's." The Omega's shoulders go tense. "Were they gifts? Many abusers bring their victims presents as a reward for good behavior. Your brother told you to sit, and stay, and built you a pack so that you'd continue submitting to him."

The Omega raises an eyebrow. "Sounds like you've already decided who I am," he says coolly.

"Not at all," Hannibal replies.

He smiles, and pulls the glass closer, swiping his thumb along the condensation, and lowers his head to lick his fingers clean. Hannibal swallows, watching him do it.

"You both could have gotten away with it for a long time," Hannibal says after a moment, when the Omega straightens. "One of you killed, the other used his connections at the FBI to have everyone look the other way."

The Omega hums. "Yes, it was a rather elegant arrangement, wouldn’t you agree?"

"Very much so," Hannibal says with a nod. "But something changed."

His pretty eyes flash, and he clenches his jaw. "How pedestrian," he murmurs.

"You don't like being narrowed down to a textbook profile?"

"Does anyone?" he challenges, lifting his chin.

Hannibal smiles, and tilts his head to one side. "I want to help you, but I can't do that if you don't let me."

The Omega's expression darkens. "Alphas only want one thing," he says coldly.

"Did Liam tell you that?"

He doesn't blink. "We both know the kinds of animals Alphas are," he says. "You're no different."

"I suppose it makes sense, then, why Liam became so angry when Will formed friendships with them," Hannibal says mildly. The Omega's fingers curl. "He and I, for instance, became quite comfortable in each other's company."

He receives a smile in answer.

Hannibal returns it. "Am I wrong?"

"No," the Omega replies, his voice a soft purr. Hannibal blinks at the sound of it, and lifts his chin when the Omega's eyes rake him up and down. He sits forward abruptly, the chains around his wrists clinking with the movement. He curls his fingers around his water glass. "And what about you, Doctor Lecter?"

Hannibal tilts his head to one side.

"You met Will, and Liam. Did you imagine what it would be like to touch him? Did you like the idea of putting your teeth in his neck, and touch yourself thinking of fucking him on that pretentious couch? I did." He shows his teeth in his smile and Hannibal raises his eyebrows. "I imagined getting on my knees for you, imagined how you'd sound." His eyes drop to Hannibal's hands. "Sometimes I pretended it was you, when my brother fucked me."

"If your goal is to shock me, I'm afraid it's in vain," Hannibal says coolly. "Even now, I don't find you altogether unpredictable."

"Oh?" The Omega turns his head, smile widening, eyes half-lidded. Too lazy to be seductive, and his eyes are sharp like a tiger in the undergrowth, waiting for the right time to lunge.

Hannibal smiles. "When you think I'm getting close to figuring out which twin you are, you attack me, or someone else, trying to change the conversation," he says mildly.

He hums, and sits back in his chair. "Well then, I guess you have it all figured out," he replies, still purring, still smiling. "You've read the incident report, I'm sure." Hannibal nods. "What do _you_ think happened, then?"

Hannibal smiles. "I think, when you were both very young, Liam realized he was special, and he saw that same special spirit in Will." The Omega blinks, eyes dark, brow furrowed. "I think he grew possessive of that gift, and believed that it was something only the two of you would understand. You and him against the world, isn't it?"

"That's how brothers should behave," he replies tightly. "You'd know that if your sister was still alive."

"But, as Will grew older, he started to realize that the kind of home he grew up in wasn't the same for everyone. He yearned for a family. Liam, to his credit, did his best to provide, but…" Hannibal's smile widens when the Omega growls. "He wasn't an Alpha, was he? He couldn't give Will what he really wanted. A mate, and a child."

He receives a snarl in answer, the gold in the Omega's eyes thickening with the instinctive reaction to mention of such a thing. Hannibal leans on the table, his eyes fixed sharply on the Omega's, not letting him break contact.

"Is that why Liam chose Alana?" he presses. "She could give you what you wanted."

The Omega's eyes flash, and he jerks his gaze away like he had to physically separate them. He looks down at his water glass and his shoulders tense, roll forward, and then back. He tilts his head to one side, working his jaw to the left, and clucks his tongue. "We're done talking," he says. His fingers curl, dig into his own palms sharply. His knuckles must hurt. "I don't want to talk to you anymore."

"Are you asking for a lawyer?" Hannibal asks.

"No," comes the reply.

Hannibal smiles. "Then I'm afraid you're stuck with me."

 

 

**Then:**

"You know, mama told me there was only meant to be one of us." Will's head is hazy, thick with smoke. He rubs at his eyes, licks his dry lips, and rolls over so that he can meet Liam's eyes. There's a cloud of weed smoke hanging between them and he whines, shifting closer, and only settles when Liam's hand rests on his shoulder.

"That so?" he asks, smiling lopsidedly.

Will nods, swallowing. He leans in and tries to seek water in Liam's mouth, finds it similarly Sahara-dry. "It's called Vanishing Twin syndrome," he says. He closes his eyes when Liam kisses him back, curls a hand in Will's shower-damp hair. Will doesn't know why he showers before they smoke. He always needs one after. "One twin dies, and gets absorbed by the other."

Liam hums. "I'd never hurt you," he says.

Will huffs a laugh, the high making his lungs seize and tremble when Liam touches him. He arches closer, presses their mouths together again, and sighs. "What if I ate you?"

Liam shivers. "Then I'd be inside you forever."

Will's stomach clenches. He likes the sound of that. Weed makes him hungry, and there's always a point when he smokes, when his chest gets heavy and his body lax, where he could be persuaded to feast, or to fuck. He rolls onto Liam's chest, touches his fingers worship-light on his brother's jaw, and kisses him until his stomach turns hot and his thighs shake. Liam growls, rubbing his hands up Will's bared back, flat and wide and so warm.

"Please," Will breathes, his shaking fingers pushing at his clothes, his underwear sits and knots thickly above his knees. Liam growls against his mouth, one hand sliding down Will's sweaty spine, thumb pushing into the divots at the small of his back, then sliding lower until his fingers run down and find slick. "Please -."

"You want me inside you, baby brother?" Liam whispers. It's one of those things they never asked, but they knew – Liam came into the world first, kicking and screaming, to make sure it was safe for Will to follow.

Will nods, breathing heavily, his tongue curling behind Liam's teeth when Liam growls, parts his jaws and sucks on Will's tongue, bites down hard enough to sting. The drugs make them sloppy with need, and Will touches himself when Liam sinks a finger into his slick hole, grabs Will's thigh to keep him still.

Liam is naked, he always is when they smoke. Will shivers as he feels Liam's cock harden between his legs, and he rolls his hips until Liam's cock smears sticky-wet against his thighs. Liam pulls his finger out with a snarl, slides his wet finger between Will's teeth, and Will whimpers, sucking the taste of his slick from Liam's finger.

Liam's hand moves from Will's thigh, circles his cock, and presses it against Will's slick hole. Will gasps, arching for the best angle, and cries out around Liam's finger when Liam ruts his hips up, pushing inside. It aches, stings because he's not stretched, and the weed makes him dry, but he takes it because this is what he's made for. What he's meant for.

Liam snarls, he cups Will's ass and fucks up, driving the air from his lungs. His finger hooks in Will's teeth and jerks his head to one side, baring his throat.

"You're so beautiful," Liam whispers against Will's sweaty neck, licks his jaw and bites down at the corner. Will's hands fly to the pillows on either side of Liam's head and he rolls his hips, drives his cock against his brother's stomach, eyelids fluttering as Liam penetrates him, splitting him apart. "I love you so much, Will."

"I – I love you too," Will tries to say, muffled and garbled because of Liam's grip on his mouth. His knuckles whiten in the pillows and he moans, thighs tense and straining as he rides Liam's cock, desperate to feel him pushing deep. He's getting wetter, instinct-driven, frantic. "Don't leave me."

"Never," Liam vows.

 

 

**Now:**

Hannibal enters the room with food. He watches the Omega's nostrils flare, and smiles, setting two Tupperware containers in front of them. He puts a fork next to the Omega's, and one at his own. "I hope you don't mind," he says mildly. "I fed Will a few times during our friendship."

The Omega blinks at him, and opens the container. "Smells good," he says. Hannibal smile widens as he watches him carefully navigate the fork into the sausage scramble, then bend down so he can take a bite. He eats as well, watching carefully.

"I thought you might like to know," he adds after a moment of silence. "Alana's pregnant."

The Omega's head snaps up, wide-eyed. Hannibal keeps his expression open, and honest.

He frowns. "I doubt that," he says tightly.

"Oh?" Hannibal asks, tilting his head to one side.

"She's not the kind of person to just get knocked up. And I've never met an Omega who isn't a stickler for birth control."

Hannibal shrugs. "She told me herself," he says.

The Omega blinks, his eyes darting over Hannibal's shoulder to the mirror. "She's…here?" he asks, hesitantly. Wistfully.

Hannibal nods, watching him closely. "Would you like to speak to her?"

He receives a tight, pained smile in answer. He can't tell if the expression is more Will or Liam. This is starting to get frustrating – they're running out of time.

He doesn't say anything. Hannibal sighs. "I'll admit, I'm still confused," he says, setting his fork down. The Omega continues to eat. "I've been giving it considerable thought, and I cannot figure out why, if you are Will, you do not simply come out and say so."

The Omega hums, but doesn't stop eating.

"Even if it is a lie."

He raises an eyebrow, lifting his head from the tines of his fork. He chews the food Hannibal offered, swallows it in a deliberate motion.

He smiles, shows the edge of his upper teeth. "I'm sure you have theories."

Hannibal tilts his head to one side. "Do you know who was born first?" he asks.

The Omega blinks, frowning at the abrupt change in conversation. "Not officially," he replies, slowly. "We just decided it was Liam, one day."

"The dominant twin," Hannibal says. The Omega's frown deepens, but he doesn't argue. "I imagine it's frustrating, then – no one knew he existed. He was kept locked away, in your home, and forced to remain behind while Will went out into the world, interacted with those in it." He pauses. "Put himself in danger, constantly."

"Will knows how to handle himself."

Hannibal smiles, and nods to the Omega's bruised knuckles. "Apparently."

His head tilts to one side, and he smiles, wide and lopsided. "It really bothers you, doesn't it?" he asks. "That you can't tell."

"Who says I can't?" Hannibal replies mildly, curious as to what the answer will be.

"If you could, I wouldn't be here," the Omega replies. "I'd be carted off in chains to await trial." He hesitates. "For whichever crime."

Hannibal hums.

"Did you know it's illegal in the state of Maryland for an Omega to be without a legal guardian?" Hannibal blinks. "When our mother died, we went into the care of our uncle, in Louisiana. He was senile. He'd check out for days at a time, leave us to fend for ourselves." His eyes are dark, his voice a low growl; "We don't need anyone taking care of us."

"Jack was Will's legal guardian," Hannibal replies. "Once he joined the FBI." The Omega nods. "How did you manage it? A background check would have revealed Liam's existence."

He smiles, showing his teeth. "Liam has been dead for a long time," he murmurs. Then, he ducks his head, leaning down to take another bite of food. Hannibal frowns, considering that.

 

 

**Then:**

"No, baby, you gotta make this side a little higher. There we go."

Will looks between them in the mirror, tries to mimic Liam's smile perfectly. It's off-kilter, savage, and Liam hums, nuzzling Will's nape when he manages. "Perfect," he growls, and Will shivers as Liam's hands flatten on his arms, slide down to his wrists as his brother molds himself to Will's back.

Liam's jaws part, his teeth settle on either side of Will's neck, biting down hard enough to leave a pink mark behind. Then, he growls, and presses his nose to Will's shoulder. "I can smell that Alpha on you," he says, his voice dark, possessive.

Will bites his lower lip, meets his own eyes in the mirror. He tilts his head to one side, exposing his neck. "He's a doctor," he replies weakly, feeling Liam's fingers tighten around his wrists. "Jack ordered therapy for me, after Hobbs."

Liam laughs. "Therapy," he repeats, scoffing the word. "You're not crazy. You're perfect." He drags one of Will's hands to Will's stomach, presses them both flat, Liam's hand over Will's. "You're _mine_."

Will starts to shake, the way he does when he drinks too much and feels vomit welling up in the base of his neck. "I know," he replies softly. Liam raises his head and their eyes meet, gold, green, blue, an almost mirror-image of each other. Liam's eyes are greener today, the golden ring in them shining. Will wishes he could make his irises change on demand, so that they're always matching.

"Maybe I should pay this doctor a visit," Liam says, smiling when Will shivers. "I need to know he's not taking advantage of you."

"Don't hurt him," Will says before he can stop himself.

Liam goes still. He snarls, upper lip curling back, and hauls Will around, shoving him against the bathroom counter. He puts a hand on Will's throat, not squeezing, not yet, but his nails dig in. "Why not?" he demands, eyes flashing. "You think he can understand you like I can? Know you like I can?"

"If something happens to him, Jack will suspect me," Will says, unsteadily. "He's too high-profile, Liam."

Liam growls, and then his fingers do squeeze, tightening on Will's neck until Will whines. He doesn't fight it, trusting his brother not to hurt him. He lifts his chin, turns it away, his fingers curling against the counter at either side of his hips.

Then, Liam kisses him. It's harsh, biting, stings Will's lower lip when it's trapped between Liam's teeth. Will whimpers, spreading his legs as Liam arches closer, forcing him to part his thighs and let his brother close.

"I love you," Will gasps, when Liam allows him to breathe. His voice is rough, tight under Liam's hand. "I only love you. I swear."

"Prove it," Liam demands.

He lets Will's neck go, and Will swallows. He knows better than to touch it, to rub the ache away. Liam steps back, and Will whines, and slides to his knees.

 

 

**Earlier:**

"Do you ever feel like there are two Wills?"

Hannibal tilts his head to one side, eyebrows rising. Alana sits at his dining room table, a mug of coffee in her hands. She'd spent the night in Hannibal's guest room, the both of them up late working on a case study for one of Alana's classes.

"How do you mean?"

"I mean…" She pauses, her fingers curling around the handle of her mug. She takes a sip, and sighs. "I mean it's like he has two personalities. Sometimes I'm around him and I feel at ease. Other times, less so."

"You have strong instincts," Hannibal replies mildly. She always has, especially for a female, as she cannot hear or smell Alphas and Omegas as strongly as men can. "What is your gut telling you?"

"There's nothing inherently different," she says slowly. "They dress the same. They behave the same. But sometimes, when I look at him, I get the feeling it's not Will I'm looking at."

"Do you suspect he has some kind of personality disorder?"

"Well." She huffs, rolling her eyes. "I mean, he definitely does. I'm just not sure what to call it. He's prone to dissociation, but this feels like more than that. Like…like there are two of him." She meets Hannibal's eyes and shrugs, helplessly.

Hannibal hums, nodding. Despite her inability to properly encompass her feelings, Hannibal understands completely. "I'm inclined to agree," he says after a moment, and she blinks at him. "My sessions with Will tend to vary wildly, when it comes to topics of conversation. Even how he expresses himself."

He stops. She knows better than to ask him to violate doctor-patient confidentiality, and Hannibal knows better than to outright volunteer that information.

"You have known Will for a long time, yes?"

She nods. "Years," she replies. "Since he joined the FBI."

"Has he always behaved this way?"

She shakes her head. "That's the thing," she says. "He hasn't. This is…new."

"How new?"

She bites her lower lip. "Since Jack asked to borrow his imagination."

Hannibal nods. "Omegas are particularly sensitive to the moods and mannerisms of others," he says. "With how deeply Jack is having Will delve into the minds of killers, it's no wonder he may be exhibiting some behavioral changes as a result." He pauses, watches as she blinks down at her coffee, her shoulders tense, her brow furrowed. "It troubles you deeply."

"Shouldn't it?" she demands. "I feel like I'm watching my friend fade."

Hannibal smiles. "You care about him," he says, and she nods like she's offended at the implication that she wouldn't. "I have often found, during my time as a therapist, that it is a lack of social network that exacerbates certain mental issues." He pauses. "If Will needs a friend, my advice to you is to be one."

"I am his friend," Alana says insistently.

Hannibal smiles again. "And he's very lucky to have one as loyal and trustworthy as you." Her cheeks color in pleasure, and she presses her lips together, meeting Hannibal's eyes. "We've spoken about you before, in our sessions. He speaks very highly of you."

"I'm glad," she says softly. Then, she sighs. "It's just difficult. I don't know which Will I'm going to talk to when I see him, you know?"

Hannibal nods. He doesn't mention other things he's noticed – how sometimes Will's scent is so dead that he must be overdosing on suppressants, to make it so. How sometimes Will smells alive and sweet, mint and lemongrass and honey. He doesn't mention how sometimes Will reaches for him, how sometimes he paces like he can't stand still. How sometimes, he talks like a killer. Sometimes he profiles God.

"I think, above all else, what Will craves is stability," Hannibal says. "At his age, the fact that he's unmated and without children is out of the ordinary. Has he ever indicated a desire for such?"

Alana huffs, shaking her head. "No," she replies. "He gets hostile whenever someone even mentions dating."

Interesting. Very unlike an Omega, in Hannibal's experience.

"When someone suggests that he date?" he asks. "Or that you do?"

Alana blinks, and frowns. Her nails tap against the mug of coffee in front of her, and Hannibal smiles.

 

 

**Now:**

"Here's what I think happened."

"Oh, do tell."

Hannibal smiles. "I think Will found out that Liam had slept with Alana," he says. The Omega's jaw tightens, bulging at the corners. "I think he felt betrayed, that his brother, who claimed to love him and only him, had an affair with her. It made Will snap, and there was a fight."

The Omega huffs, works his jaw loose and rolls his shoulders. "There you go," he says tightly. "Case closed."

"Is that a confession?" Hannibal asks, tilting his head to one side.

Green-gold eyes meet him, hold steadily, but there's some hesitance in the way the Omega's fingers curl, the way his lips part around a single, quick inhale.

"Does it make you angry, knowing that your closest and oldest friend couldn't tell the two of you apart?"

"We're special, my brother and I," he says quietly. "We're not unique."

Hannibal hums, pressing his lips together. "Definitely not unique," he says, just as slowly as the Omega had spoken.

The Omega's eyes flash, over Hannibal's shoulder, to the one-way mirror. His mouth twitches in a smile. "I imagine Jack is getting impatient," he says quietly. "You know, we practiced in the mirror. Made sure we smiled the same, made sure we acted the same. Liam insisted."

"Why is that?"

"A bird cannot be caged forever, Doctor Lecter," the Omega replies softly. "It withers if it cannot spread its wings."

Hannibal blinks, understanding blooming in the back of his mind like flowers in spring. "Oh," he says. The Omega blinks at him. "That is why you won't confess."

He frowns.

"Regardless of which crimes you are convicted of, you will not go to regular prison, as an Omega." For his own protection. "You'll likely be held at the Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Kept separated from all others. In a glass cage." He sits forward, his elbows on the table. "That's what you're afraid of, isn't it? You crave connection."

The Omega's expression darkens, he jerks his wrists like he wants to curl his hands against his chest. Or, perhaps, his stomach.

Hannibal tilts his head to one side, another theory forming in wake of the first. He stands, and the Omega goes tense, growling in soft warning when Hannibal circles the table.

"Don't touch me," he snarls, showing his teeth.

Hannibal smiles, coming to a stop at the Omega's shoulder. He wraps his fingers in his dark curls, and pulls his head to one side, exposing the bite mark on his neck. The Omega growls, but cannot fight the touch of an Alpha at his neck. He goes still when Hannibal leans in, puts his nose to the Omega's neck, and breathes in deeply.

 

 

**Then:**

"Why her? Why _her_?"

Liam laughs, spitting blood from between his teeth. They're out in the front garden, and Liam stinks of a woman's perfume – _Alana's_ perfume. He smells of sweat, of sex, of an Omega freshly-mated. Will snarls, throws another punch that connects with Liam's jaw, sending him to his knees.

"You angry, baby?" Liam asks, laughing and wiping at his bloody mouth.

"Why?" Will demands. He hauls Liam to his feet by his hair, throws him down on the steps leading up to the porch. His dogs are barking inside, and his eyes fall to his brother, sprawled out and grinning up at him. Liam's eyes are bright, his neck and cheeks flushed.

"You wanted a mate," Liam whispers, rubbing at his jaw again. Will flinches, his bruised knuckles curling at his sides. Liam sits up, holds his hands out for Will. "I can give you a baby. She can give us a child. It's what you wanted, isn't it?"

Will swallows, his eyes on his brother. He sags abruptly, and yields to Liam's pull, takes his hands and collapses on Liam's thighs.

Liam smiles, bares his bloody teeth, and Will curls a hand in his hair, tugging his head back. He leans in, noses at the smear of blood on his neck. He parts his jaws, wants to sink his teeth into the soft flesh.

He does. He bites down, hard enough to hurt, to split skin. Now they'll match here, as well.

Liam sighs, purring loudly as Will whimpers and bites him, resists the urge to rip out his throat. "You want a baby, don't you, Will?" he asks softly. "A family? We can be a family. You. Me. Her."

"I don't want that," Will says, pulling back and licking over the bite mark. He feels no pleasure at laying it – no satisfaction like an Alpha would have, or the kind an Omega would feel in giving one to his mate. It feels, instead, like inevitability, another collision-course of fate and meteors that will destroy the planet.

Liam sighs, his hands flattening on Will's back. "What do you want?"

"I want it to be ours," Will confesses, cupping his brother's face and resting their foreheads together.

Liam smiles, nuzzles Will's bloody mouth. "I'm not on suppressants," he whispers. "Or birth control." Will blinks, eyes widening. "But if I get pregnant, baby brother, you have to be, too."

Will swallows. "I can do that."

Liam raises an eyebrow, surprised and pleased. "Good," he whispers, quietly, petting a hand through Will's hair. Will touches his chest and submits to Liam's kiss, whimpering against his tender mouth. Liam's jaw burns when Will kisses it, bruised and darkening from Will's fist. "You'll make a wonderful mother."

 

 

**Now:**

Hannibal lets the Omega go, and strides to the door. He locks it, and then goes to the little communications box on the side of the one-way mirror. He mutes it, so that those within the other room cannot hear what he will say next.

Then, he goes to the camera, which is sitting at the corner of the table. He shuts it off, and closes the screen. The Omega's eyes follow him the entire time, sharp and wary. He's shivering. The scent of him stings Hannibal's nose, like memory and desire, sharp.

Hannibal stops behind his chair, and leans onto the table. The Omega's scent is sharp, and Hannibal realizes, abruptly, why. He knows why the Omega is trembling – it's withdrawal, a body fighting against a previously-established baseline. He smells like suppressant medication, wearing off. He smells like chemicals.

"It was me, wasn't it?" he asks.

The Omega flinches, fingers curling. He works his jaw to one side, eyes fixed firmly on the glass of water in front of him. Hannibal watches him, watches the wheels turning in his head, although whether he's trying to think of a lie, or fighting down his emotions, Hannibal cannot tell.

He watches, and calls to mind the sight of Will – he'd known it was Will, or Liam was a very good actor, for he'd smelled like an Omega coming off suppressants, sweet and desperate in Hannibal's arms. He remembers the feeling of Will's hands on his chest, the tender, beautiful sound of his whine. Remembers how Will had kissed him, tried to touch him. Hannibal had refused – Will was a patient, after all. Hannibal could not possibly allow himself to sink so low.

But oh, the temptation.

"Did Liam get Will pregnant?"

The Omega flinches, and whines. He nods, swallowing harshly.

Hannibal tilts his head to one side. He can't let emotions get the better of him, now. "And Liam?"

He swallows, whimpering softly.

 

 

**Then:**

Will stares at the puppy in Liam's arms. It's a cocker spaniel, with soft ears and big, dark eyes. It's a lovely, sweet thing, and Will swallows when Liam sets it down. Winston trots over, tail wagging and nosing at the puppy in welcome.

Will's fingers curl, and he meets Liam's eyes. He flattens a hand over his stomach and his gaze drops to Liam's bitten neck. "So," he says hoarsely. "That was your plan all along."

Liam smiles. He lifts his shirt and shows Will his scar, low on his stomach. Will flinches at the sight of it.

"Alana isn't pregnant," he whispers. "And you…"

 _You aren't either_.

"We can be a family, Will," Liam says. He steps forward and takes Will's hands, squeezing gently. He smells like birth control – too much, dampening his scent. A chemical abortion, to match the scar on his stomach. "Don't you see? She would have left us. That doctor you tried to fuck, he denied you. He turned you away." His voice is gentle. "I will never leave you. I will always love you. I'm the only one who can."

The way he says it doesn't sound like love.

Will nods, and licks his lower lip. He pulls Liam close and kisses him, melting against his brother's chest when Liam embraces him. He slides his hands up, curls them around his neck.

He presses his thumbs under Liam's Adam's apple, and starts to squeeze.

Liam chokes, clawing at Will's back. Then his wrists, when Will doesn't let up. Will sobs, baring his teeth, his eyes bright with tears that cloud his vision. Liam snarls back, wild, frantic. He pushes Will, tries to get him to let go, but Will can't, he _can't_.

Liam gasps, wide-eyed, and falls to his knees. Will clenches his eyes shut, presses on his throat until he feels cartilage give. Liam chokes, blood and saliva welling up in his mouth, falling onto Will's hands. Will steps forward, falls over his brother, sits on his stomach and squeezes until Liam's hands stop moving, until his chest goes still. Until his body starts to seize, choking on blood, the wild light in his eyes dying under the pressure of Will's hands like a flame robbed of oxygen.

Will sobs, tears running down his face, spilling onto Liam's neck, his chin, Will's own hands. He lets go, abruptly, when Liam breathes his last. He pets a hand through his brother's hair, and leans down, cups his face and kisses his bloody mouth.

"You did this," he whispers, smoothing his thumbs over Liam's eyes so that they close. "I would have done it. I could have. You didn't give me enough time."

Winston comes over, nosing at Will's tear-stained cheek. He licks Will and Will sobs, pushes himself to his feet, and takes his phone. He goes upstairs and closes the door behind him. The room stinks of weed, and the sheets are rumpled, stained with many nights of slick, of love, morning after morning of Liam taking Will by the hair, rutting against him in the night, filling him over and over again and whispering how much he loved Will.

Will snarls, running his hands through his hair. He turns around and punches the door. It creaks, and pain ricochets up his knuckles. Is this what it felt like, when his mother was beating down their closet door? Is this what it feels like to have your heart break?

He hits the door again, and again, screaming behind clenched teeth. He has to be quiet – "They'll hear us, baby, you gotta be quiet." But his fists are not. He beats his hands against the door until his knuckles split, until blood well up between his fingers.

He stops when he can't lift his arms anymore, and collapses on the bed, sobbing harshly. He can't breathe.

He reaches into the bedside table, ignores the stash of Liam's weed, and takes his bottle of suppressant medication and birth control. He empties both bottles into his hand and swallows them, uses the blood on his hands to wet his mouth so that he can.

He goes back downstairs and opens the door, letting his dogs run out. He kneels down by Liam's head, parts his jaws and grits his teeth, smashing his knuckles against his brother's jaw until his teeth come loose. He'll bury them somewhere, far away. He claws at Liam's hands, ridding him of fingerprints. He rips his neck apart and gouges the cut in his stomach until his guts spill.

He stands, goes to the barn behind his house, and grabs cannisters of gasoline. His hands burn as he pours it inside the house, up into the bedroom, down the stairs, douses the body thoroughly like slick.

He takes Liam's matches from his pocket, and walks outside. He doesn't look back as he lights a match, sets it to the matchbook, and drops it onto the trail that leads to the porch.

He goes to his car, gets in, and watches the house go up in flames.

Then, he calls Jack.

"You need to come quickly," he whispers, when the Alpha answers. "I just killed my brother."

 

 

**Now:**

"He brought me a puppy," the Omega – Will, Hannibal is certain now that it is Will – says. He meets Hannibal's eyes, bright as gunmetal in a glacier, watery with tears. The chill is melting from him, thawing in the wake of Hannibal's deductions. "He told me I had to get pregnant. Then he…"

He swallows, and looks away.

Hannibal nods, straightening up. "I can help you, Will," he says quietly.

"No," Will says tightly, teeth bared. "They're going to lock me away. They're going to put me in a cage. I killed my _brother_."

Hannibal sighs, and takes his seat. He can hear commotion from outside, Jack yelling at someone to get the Goddamn door open. He must not have been in the observation room when Hannibal first muted everything.

Will meets his eyes, bright and wide. "What are you going to tell them?"

"The truth," Hannibal replies. "Your brother attacked you, and you killed him in self-defense. Once the hormone results come back and prove that you're Will, there will be no reason to keep you here. The court will be lenient."

Will blanches. "No, they won't," he says. He lifts his hands as much as he's able, showing Hannibal his bruised knuckles. "I don't look like a victim, Doctor Lecter."

Hannibal smiles. "Will," he begins gently, "I think that this exercise has proven, beyond anything else, that you are an incredibly adept and versatile creature." Will blinks at him, frowning. "Perhaps, if your pride will allow it, pretending to be a victim is easier than you might think."

"My pride," Will whispers. "We've talked about pride before."

"We have," Hannibal says with a nod.

Will licks his lips, and lets out a quiet, uncertain sound. "Do you think you can save me?" he asks.

Hannibal smiles. "Yes," he replies, plainly. "I believe I can."

Will nods. "Then I put my fate in your hands," he says. He hesitates, then; "I trust you."

Hannibal smiles, pleased at that. He stands, and goes to the door. He unlocks it and opens it, stepping out before Jack can barge through. He closes it behind him.

"What the Hell was that?" Jack demands.

"I had to make it so that he believed there was no one watching him," Hannibal says mildly.

Jack blinks, frowning. "Well?"

"It's Will, Jack," Hannibal says. Jack lets out an explosive breath. Hannibal can tell how relieved he is. "He's been terribly traumatized. I would suggest that…we not prosecute him."

Jack blinks.

"He told me Liam has been dead for a long time," Hannibal continues. "No one knew he existed. I would recommend Will continue therapy with me, but for the rest of it…" He pauses, meets Jack's eyes. "Perhaps it would be best to put this whole ugly business behind us."

Jack's frown deepens. "We can't just sweep this under the rug, Doctor Lecter."

Hannibal smiles. "I defer to your better judgement," he says mildly, with a deferential nod to soothe the bristling tension in Jack's shoulders, expecting to be challenged. "I would suggest, however, that perhaps time served is punishment enough. Will is a victim of many years of coercive incest, of rape, and of grooming by his brother  . He needs help, not a prison cell."

Jack huffs.

"And he's been cooperative, for the most part," Hannibal adds.

"I'll see what the D.A. thinks," Jack says darkly. It's no secret that putting Omegas in prison is frowned upon, given how few crimes they're directly involved with. It could bring down a lot of the wrong kind of heat. And the Bureau doesn't like heat.

Hannibal nods.

 

 

They release Will an hour later. He'll be under strict monitoring, Hannibal is sure, and his career at the BAU is essentially over. He has nowhere to go except a pile of ashes and dark memories. Hannibal waits for him outside the station, and rolls his window down when Will exits the building under Jack's watchful, red eyes.

"Going my way?" Hannibal calls, smiling when Will meets his gaze. He growls softly, looks over his shoulder, and then nods and gets into Hannibal's car.

Hannibal pulls away, and the car is silent and still. "Thank you for vouching for me," Will says. "I know it can't have been easy."

"I find you a particularly diverting creature," Hannibal says lightly. "And I would like our relationship to continue. Hard to do that when you're locked away."

"Our relationship?" Will repeats.

Hannibal nods. Then, he sighs. "You played along rather marvelously," he says. He feels the Omega's eyes snap to the side of his face. "Your brother taught you well."

Hesitation. The Omega licks his lips. "You choose your words carefully," he murmurs.

Hannibal nods, and pulls over onto the side of the road, turning on his hazards so that the traffic passes by without incident. He turns and meets the Omega's gold-green eyes, and puts the car in park. He reaches forward and the Omega tenses, snarling softly in warning, but doesn't stop Hannibal as he curls his fingers in his shirt, lifting it up to reveal the raw, angry-looking cut on his lower stomach.

He smiles. "Self-inflicted, I wonder?" he asks.

He lets the shirt drop and the Omega smooths his hands over it, growling softly.

"You know, the scent of suppressant withdrawal and chemical abortions are similar," Hannibal says mildly.

"If you're trying to suggest something, suggest it," comes the reply, whip-crack sharp.

Hannibal smiles. "Maybe Liam died that day. Maybe Will did." The Omega's breath escapes him harshly. "But part of me wonders if it matters. You're the same, aren't you? Conjoined. A vanishing twin thirty years too late."

"Liam is dead," the Omega snaps.

"I know," Hannibal replies, and tilts his head to one side. His smile widens and shows his teeth. "He died when you were sixteen, after he killed your mother. Or at least, a part of him did."

The Omega frowns, and blinks over at Hannibal.

"For all intents and purposes, you're a free man," Hannibal continues. "No mate. No children."

He frowns. "Alana?"

"I lied," Hannibal replies. "But you knew that, don't you?" He tilts his head to one side, watches as the Omega's face plays out a montage of expressions; confusion, disgust, guilt. "You consumed your brother when you were young, and through that consumption, he lived on in you."

The Omega swallows. "No," he replies, his voice unsteady. "No. He didn't die. He didn't -."

He stops. Hannibal is silent, watching as Will blinks. His eyes widen, and he swallows again. For one moment, he is Will again, and when he looks to Hannibal, he's as confused and frightened as a pup when separated from its mother.

Hannibal's voice is gentle; "When we first spoke, today, you referred to Liam in present tense," he says. "He's always going to be with you, isn't he?"

The Omega's jaw clenches, and he shakes his head sharply. "I killed him," he growls. Hannibal isn't sure if he's referring to the time when he was a child, or days ago, when he set his house on fire with the nameless surrogate he'd killed.

"You were never pregnant, Will," Hannibal says. "I would have smelled it."

"Liam was pregnant," he whispers, his hands flattening on his stomach. "He was. He -."

But he wasn't, was he? Hannibal has seen things like this before, shadows of loved ones gone too soon, loved too much to be let go. They grow claws and fangs and Hannibal's eyes fall to the mark on Will's neck. They look more like claw marks than teeth marks, spaced too far apart, now that he's looking more closely.

The Omega whimpers. "He slept with Alana," he whispers. "Why?"

Hannibal sighs. "I imagine the purpose was to alienate her from you, to prove that everyone leaves you."

He nods. "Are you going to leave me, too?"

"No," Hannibal says. He reaches over and takes his hand, squeezing gently. The Omega shivers. "I am not afraid of Liam, nor am I afraid of you. I want to see you recover."

He nods. "I don't…" He swallows, sighing. "I'm crazy, aren't I?"

Hannibal smiles. "No, darling," he replies, noting how Will shivers and swallows at the pet name. "You have been subjected to all manners of cruelty. I hope to show you kindness."

"Does this kindness have a price?" Will whispers, low and suspicious.

"Just your company," Hannibal replies. "And your trust."

He puts his car back in drive and merges back into traffic, turning the hazards off. "Under Jack's orders, you have been placed in my permanent care," Hannibal says lightly. Beside him, the Omega growls, Liam-like in his defiance. Hannibal thinks to the interrogation room, when it had felt like both Will and Liam were staring back at him. He recalls Alana's musings that there were two Wills – not in body, not literally, but perhaps in mind. "It was either this or prison."

"A cage," Will whispers. "You're not going to put me in a cage, are you?"

Hannibal shakes his head. "It is not my intention."

"Who was that man I killed, if not my brother?"

"I don't know," Hannibal replies. "Perhaps we will never know."

"Are you going to try and separate us?" Will asks, almost child-like. "Liam always said, that's what people would try and do. They wouldn't understand. They wouldn't see." Hannibal tilts his head to one side, feeling Will's eyes on the side of his face. "But I feel like you understand. You see."

"I'm happy you feel that way," Hannibal murmurs. "That is all I'm trying to do. To understand you. I know you can adapt, and evolve, Will. Now, the final stage of your metamorphosis beckons you. Now that you understand the world, and see it for what it is – now that you have slaughtered your captor and freed yourself from his chains, you can do whatever you wish."

Will huffs. "As long as it's whatever _you_ wish," he returns.

Hannibal smiles. "Our goals are one and the same," he says. "To be without problems, and to have nothing to worry about."

Will sighs. "Can I have my dogs?" he asks.

Hannibal considers it, before he nods. "I can accommodate some of them," he says. "Not all."

Will nods, accepting that. He slides down in the passenger seat of the car, eyes through the windshield. "You say you want me to recover," he murmurs, and Hannibal nods. "But I am just as much my brother as I am myself. Who's to say, through this recovery, that the wrong twin is devoured?" He looks over at Hannibal. "Do you have a favorite, Doctor Lecter?"

"Do you?" he asks.

Will smiles. "I think you like Will best," he says. "He's more pliant. More suggestible. Sweeter."

"It is up to you, in the end," Hannibal replies. "You are the master of your own fate, now. I can help you, fashion the cocoon from which you will hatch, but once you are free, you will follow your own nature, and will be beyond my control."

"Mm." Will sighs, rolling his shoulders. "I always found the idealization of free will tiresome." He pauses. "But perhaps that is because I never truly had it. Even now, I feel like my puppet strings are invisible, but they are there."

"And who is the puppet master, pulling your strings?"

"I suppose that's you, now," Will says sharply. "As my legal guardian."

Hannibal smiles. He turns off the highway, towards the street leading to his neighborhood.

Will swallows. "I can be who you want me to be," he says quietly. Hannibal blinks, pressing his lips together. "If you want Will, I can be Will. If you want Liam, I can be Liam." Hannibal comes to a red light, and looks over at him. Will's eyes slant his way, lowered, and he rubs absently over the back of his neck. "I behaved rashly towards you, in the past."

Hannibal nods.

"But that doesn't mean my advances were unwelcome." Will swallows, licks his lips. "Were they?"

Hannibal smiles. "Not unwelcome," he says, honestly. "Just ill-timed."

"And now?"

"We'll see."

Will nods, and the light turns green. They drive on, silent, with all the world spread out ahead of them.

 

 

**Many Years Ago:**

Will scrambles to his feet, eyes wide at the sight of their mother, a knife in his neck and bleeding out onto the floor. He looks at Liam, breathing hard, and Liam snarls at him, lunges for him and throws him down onto the ground.

"Why did you run?" he demands. Will scrambles back, his hands sliding wetly through the blood spreading out along the floor. Liam prowls forward, snarling, and grabs the knife from their mother's neck. Will whimpers, reaching out in supplication, and Liam grabs him by the throat. Will's hands fly to his brother's, trying to save his neck.

Liam smiles, lopsided, eyes glowing gold, and Will cries out as he plunges the knife into Will's gut, slicing him open across his stomach, deep and sudden. Will trembles, choking on his breath, his eyes wide.

Liam throws the knife to one side. He cups Will's face and kisses him, biting his lower lip as Will trembles, blood gushing hot from his stomach, pooling at his sides, mixing with their mother's. "You did this," Liam whispers. "You made me do this."

"Liam," Will gasps, stuttering the name. He claws weakly at Liam's blood-stained shirt, whimpering when Liam kisses him again.

"I have to go, baby," Liam says, pushing himself to his feet. "I'll call the police. Hold on. I know you're strong enough to survive."

"Don't leave," Will says, but his vision is already fading, his body slamming straight through shock and plummeting towards unconsciousness.

Liam smiles, golden-eyed and pretty. He kisses his fingers, and holds them out to Will, curling when Will reaches for him. "I love you, baby brother," he says. "We'll be together again. One day."

Will whimpers, and Liam turns his back. The last thing Will sees before darkness takes him is Liam retrieving the knife and wiping it on his forearm, and closing the bedroom door behind him.

 

 

"Mister Lewis?"

Their mother's maiden name. Their uncle is a short, balding Alpha, with fading vision and a weak mind.

He eyes the boy standing at the social worker's side, lips pursing. "Which one is it?" he asks.

She smiles, too-kind. "Will," she says.

He huffs, raising an eyebrow. "Doesn't look like Will," he says. The Omega wonders how he can even tell – he can't remember the last time he saw the man. The Alpha blinks at him, crouching down to his height even though he's almost as tall as his uncle already. "Smile."

The Omega does, off-kilter, just like his brother showed him.

The Alpha huffs, and straightens. "Thank you, ma'am," he says, and ushers his nephew inside. "You stay outta trouble, you hear me? I won't hesitate to have you thrown away for life, after what you done."

"Tell me," he purrs in answer, smile widening. "What exactly is it, that I did?"

His uncle huffs, and goes to the living room, flopping down in front of the television. "Your room's upstairs," he says.

He nods, and goes upstairs, dragging his luggage with him. He places his bag on the bed, and goes to the bathroom. Golden-green eyes blink back at him, and he tilts his head to one side, watching his reflection.

"You're going to have to do better than that."

He smiles, and looks away from the mirror, to his bedroom, where his brother is sprawled out on the bed, idly watching the dust motes swirl around his fingers in the shafts of sunlight from the window. "Will you teach me?" he asks, going back and sitting down beside him.

He receives a smile in answer, and purrs when a gentle hand pets through his hair. "Of course, baby," he replies, softly. "It's you and me against the world."

"You promise you won't leave again?" he whispers, fingers curling in the bedsheets.

Liam smiles, and presses his hand flat on Will's scarred stomach. "I promise," he breathes, and Will smiles, and leans down for a kiss.

 

 

**Now:**

"Doctor Lecter?"

Hannibal looks up as Will enters the room, and tilts his head to one side, closing his book and setting it down on the arm of his couch.

"What is it, darling?" he asks.

Will smiles, lopsided, and folds his arms across his chest. "Why do you call me that?" he asks.

Hannibal smiles, and shrugs. "Does it bother you?"

"I think you call me that because you're still not sure which name you should use," Will replies. He walks towards Hannibal and settles beside him on the couch. Hannibal watches him as he moves, takes in the lax slant of Will's shoulders, the healed-over claw marks on his neck. Will turns and looks at him, serene and gentle. "Are you worried about offending me?"

"Offense isn't the word I would use," Hannibal replies mildly. "But I believe you are Will, most of the time. Whether or not you were born as such."

"Still so careful," Will murmurs, laughing. He slides closer, until their thighs touch. Hannibal raises an eyebrow. Will hasn't taken any more suppressants since he was released, and as a result his scent is sweet and strong, mint and lemongrass filling Hannibal's lungs when he inhales. Will regards him, close enough that they could lean in and touch, his eyes heavy-lidded. "I was wrong about you."

"How so?" Hannibal asks.

"I was sure you would come for me. In the night. You'd lay on me like Liam did, and try to touch me. Try to take advantage of me. But you haven't."

Hannibal nods. "No," he replies. "I haven't."

"Why?" Will asks. He sounds genuinely curious.

"Truthfully?"

"I demand no less."

Hannibal sighs, shifting his weight and turning on the couch so he can regard Will more fully. "You were right," he says. Will frowns at him. "I favor Will. I knew him first, and I believe I knew him best. Even if you are the same in body, you are not the same in mind. I will not allow you to do to me what you did to Alana."

Will presses his lips together, and looks away. "I miss her," he confesses, quiet and soft. "What I did…. I'm a monster. She trusted me."

"She trusts Will," Hannibal says gently.

Will nods. He swallows. His fingers curl and he doesn't say anything.

"And you?" Will asks. "Do you trust me?"

"Trust implies the possibility of betrayal," Hannibal says mildly. "Of being hurt. I do not believe you could do either to me."

Will laughs. "I suppose," he replies. "And that is why I trust you. Because you could hurt me. You could betray me." He looks down at his hands, turns them so he can admire the broken skin and bruised knuckles. "Do you think I can get better?"

"Yes," Hannibal says. "With time. And patience. Both of which I have limitless amounts of."

Will nods, and stands. He looks to the door, and then swallows, rolling his shoulders, and turns his gaze back on Hannibal.

He holds out his hand. Hannibal blinks at it, but takes it, allowing Will to pull him to his feet. "I haven't slept alone since before I can remember," he murmurs. "Will you let me share your bed? Will you keep mine warm?"

"Is that what you want?" Hannibal asks.

Will smiles, and laces their fingers together. "Yes," he replies, stepping closer. He tilts his head, touches his nose lightly to Hannibal's jaw. It's a placative touch, one Omegas do with their Alphas to spread their scent.

Hannibal growls. "I won't allow you to make me another surrogate, Will," he says sharply.

Will shivers at the sound of his voice. "Not a surrogate," he whispers, shaking his head. "I swear."

Hannibal nods, and pets his free hand through Will's hair, forcing him to tilt his head up. Will's eyes glow in the low light, his lips part as he exhales, and Hannibal smiles. He touches their foreheads together, pleased at the soft whine Will lets out. He allows their lips to touch, brief, chastely. He will go no further until Will asks him to – until he's sure it's Will who is asking.

Will trembles, and clenches his fingers tight between Hannibal's. He pulls back, touching his lips with his free hand, and swallows. The look they share is promising, two wild animals deciding to come to a tentative truce to share fresh meat.

Then, he smiles, and pulls on Hannibal's hand, leading him out of the study, and upstairs.

**Author's Note:**

> What the fuck, am I right? I promise I won't write anything like this again, lol. I'll be sure to post something fluffy and happy after this.


End file.
